Feeper:

Don't get discouraged yet, but please continue to have your dog tested until you find out what is causing the nose bleeds.  Reno sufferred horrible ear infections for the first 7 years of her life.  Ended up with Staff and psyedomones infections in both ears at 7 1/2 years old.  Finally after years of her suffering, she seemed infection free.  When she turned 8 the nose bleeds started.  One minute she would be eating out of her bowl, and the next it would be filled with blood.  Scared the daylights out of me.  First time I took her to the vet, they checked her over and said not to worry.  Then it continued so he reccomended I take her to a specialist who conducted a Rhinoscope and detected a mass.  (My vet has the pictures) . When I went to pick her up he matter of factly told me my beautiful 8 year old dog had maybe 3 to 6 months to live and if I agreed to have her operated on and radiation treatments - maybe her life could be extended to 6 to 9 months.  They did not take a biopsy and told me in order to do that they would have to put her back under and she would have to stay the night.  He told me that he was 97% sure of the type of tumor (cannot remember it at the moment), but that it was always terminal.  I was so upset, and just wanted to take her home, I told him to forget about the biopsy.  He told me that most people in my situation would euthanize the dog immediately rather than refuse treatment.   I went home and cried all over poor Reno and within a few weeks went out and bought another shepherd because I just could not imagine coming home to an empty  house.  The nose bleeds continued, and I was told eventually she would no longer be able to fall asleep as the tumor would grow and move into the other sinus cavity and since dogs cannot sleep with their mouths open, she would eventually have to be put down.

Sometimes I would come home with blood everywhere and large pieces  of blood clots all over the floor.  These episodes were horrible to watch, but she still had more good days than bad.  I would run vaporizers in the bathroom and put the decongestant in it when her breathing was bad.  This went on for about a year and then eventually the nose bleeds became less frequent and less severe and toward the last year of her life, she only had maybe 3.  My vet would call Reno the amazing miracle dog.  I never took her in for more tests, because the vets were convinced that she was terminal.  She lived just shy of her 14 birthday.  She was a great dog, but I can tell you that I lived the last 6 years of her life thinking that I could lose her at any minute.  If I had it all to do over, I would have had it biopsed and removed so she would not have had the issues she did.  She died at home quietly in her sleep.

I wish you the best and hope your dog has many healthy and happy years left with you,

Cheryl